'How To Feed Yourself' blesses amateur chefs with less stress
If you’re a social media-savvy college student, chances are you follow a “food porn” Instagram account that publishes mouth-watering content featuring hot shots of the best local cuisine.
Still, just because you appreciate delicious food, doesn’t mean you’re eating it. Most college students live in spaces that limit cooking possibilities, lack the funds to eat out or simply don’t have the skills to whip up something gourmet at home.
Spoon University, one of the pioneers of Instagram food blogging catered to college kids, is aiming to change that reality, as founders Sarah Adler and Mackenzie Barth were once hungry students too. After graduating from Northwestern University, they turned their affinity for food into a social media networking business. Their new cookbook, “How to Feed Yourself: 100 Fast, Cheap, and Reliable Recipes for Cooking When You Don't Know What You're Doing," is full of foolproof recipes, tips and tricks on how to cook meals impressive enough for your Instagram feed, all at a beginner — and budgeter’s — level.
Because it’s affordable and easy, many students end up sticking to a strict diet of boxed macaroni and cheese. Not only are instant meals unhealthy, but they also lack the variety and dimensions we crave in a meal. The cookbook starts off each chapter with basic yet vital information for new at-home chefs, with segments like “How to Make Seafood Taste Less Fishy” and “The 3 Most Basic Ways to Cook Veggies.” From eggs to protein to grains, the cookbook breaks down all the ways to prepare the foods we should be eating but often get intimidated by. It also includes recipes that imitate and elevate our guilty pleasures, like “adult ramen,” homemade hummus and easy fried rice.
Aside from lack of skill and financial constraints, many students have trouble prioritizing making wholesome meals in between going to class, studying and socializing. A trip to the grocery store might fit in an otherwise busy schedule, but actually finding the time to cook food before it goes bad is a different issue, especially with time-sensitive fresh produce. “How To Feed Yourself” solves this problem, with a detailed guide on how and what to meal prep — such as how to use bananas once they’ve started going bad, with recipes for super moist banana bread, banana pancakes and ice cream. The cookbook leaves no room for excuses.
After covering all the basics, “How to Feed Yourself” strives to make the reader feel more elegant and confident when it comes to food. The cookbook includes impressive recipes like “Roll Your Own Sushi,” “Woo Them With Steak” and spinach artichoke dip appropriate for group dinner parties and romantic date nights. It also provides details for those aiming to transition into adult life, with chapters on how to pair wine with cheese and “how to be a confident human in a nice restaurant.” The cookbook doesn’t shy away from the fun stuff — there’s one chapter entirely dedicated to cocktails and party punches. "How to Feed Yourself" not only teaches you how to feed yourself, but also how to entertain your friends and partners.
Whether you’re interested in learning how to finally utilize your apartment’s kitchen or you're broke from ordering in, “How to Feed Yourself” is a food bible every college student should own. The cookbook will keep you full and make the dreaded act of “adulting” so much more appealing.
